HANSEN KWADWO KODUAH vs. GENERAL LEGAL COUNCIL AND 1 OTHER [2017]DLCA4839

Date	2017-02-08
Suit No.	CIVIL APPEAL SUIT NO: H3/117/2017
Citation No.	[2017]DLCA4839

V. OFOE JA

B. ACKAH-YENSU JA

C. SOWAH JA

MR. CHARLES PUOZUING FOR APPLICANT

AKOSUA ASIAMAH FOR RESPONDENT

[2017]DLCA4839
																																						<div class="restriction-wrapper">
														<div class="container-lg">
															<div class="row">
																<div class="col-md-12 restricted-content">
																	<div class="restricted-content-img-wrapper">
																		<div class="lock-icon bounce-7">
																			<img class=""
																				src="https://www.dennislawgh.com/dl-assets/dl-images/lock-content.png"
																				alt="Subscription based content">
																		</div>
																	</div>
																	 
																		<a href="https://www.dennislawgh.com/login"
																		class="btn btn-primary btn-lg"
																		style="font-family: 'open sans'; text-transform: capitalize; border-radius: 8px"> 
																		Login to Read Full Case </a>
																	 
																	
																</div>
															</div>
														</div>
													</div>
													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >HANSEN
KWADWO KODUAH<o:p></o:p>(RESPONDENT/APPELLANT/APPLICANT)<o:p></o:p>vs.<o:p></o:p>GENERAL
LEGAL COUNCIL AND 1 OTHER<o:p></o:p>(PETITIONERS/RESPONDENTS/RESPONDENTS)<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>[COURT OF APPEAL, ACCRA]<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in">

CIVIL
APPEAL SUIT NO: H3/117/2017&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;DATE: 8TH FEBRUARY,
2017<o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL:<o:p></o:p>MR.
CHARLES PUOZUING FOR APPLICANT<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in">

AKOSUA
ASIAMAH FOR RESPONDENT<o:p></o:p>

</div>CORAM: <o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in">

V.
OFOE JA, B. ACKAH-YENSU JA, C. SOWAH JA<o:p></o:p>

</div><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in">

<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;
text-align:center;border:none;mso-border-bottom-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0in;mso-padding-alt:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in">RULING<o:p></o:p>

</div>ACKAH-YENSU,
JA<o:p></o:p>The Respondent/Appellant/Applicant
(the “Applicant”) is praying the Court to set aside its decision dated 2nd
November 2016 (the Court differently constituted). The said decision/ruling
overturned an earlier ruling by a single Justice of the Court of Appeal.<o:p></o:p>Background<o:p></o:p>On 29th July,
2016 the Court of Appeal, constituted by a single Justice exercising its jurisdiction
under Article 138 of the 1992 Constitution and Section 12 (b) of the Courts
Act, 1994 (Act 459) granted a stay of the orders of the Disciplinary Committee
of the General Legal Council pending the substantive appeal at the Court of
Appeal.<o:p></o:p>In October 2016, the
Respondents herein filed an application invoking the “reconsideration jurisdiction” of the three (3) member panel
Justices of the Court of Appeal under Section 12 (b) of Act 459 and Article 138
of the Constitution.<o:p></o:p>The application was slated
to be heard on the 2nd of November, 2016. However, on the said date,
the Applicant could not attend court because he had undergone an eye retina
surgery on 27th October 2016.&nbsp;
He nonetheless sent a representative, Kofi Owusu, to the Court with a
letter from himself together with a medical report.<o:p></o:p>According to the
Applicant, his Counsel was also absent in court on that day, but had discussed
the Applicant’s predicament with Counsel for the Petitioners/Respondents/Respondents
(“the Respondents”) and had also sent a letter to the Court to that
effect.&nbsp; On the said day however, the
Respondents’ Counsel insisted on moving the application and same was moved and
granted, thus setting aside and reversing the decision of the single Justice.<o:p></o:p>The Ruling of the Court is
as follows:<o:p></o:p>“By Court Respondent is absent.&nbsp; His lawyer is absent.&nbsp; We noticed that Respondent has not filed an
affidavit in opposition.&nbsp; After listening
to counsel for the Applicant, we agree with him that part of the appeal is against
the facts and leave ought to have been obtained from the Disciplinary Committee
of the General Legal Council or the Court of Appeal the Appeal is not proper
before the court in view of Section 21 of the Legal Profession Act, (Act 32)
the other reliefs which hinge on the improper appeal cannot be granted.&nbsp; We are of the view that our brother erred in
granting the application for stay of execution on this ground alone, we are
entitled to grant the relief sought.&nbsp; We
accordingly reverse the ruling dated the 29/7/2016.” <o:p></o:p>Applicant’s
case <o:p></o:p>It is the Applicant’s
submission that the said decision exceeded the Courts jurisdiction under
Article 138 of the 1992 Constitution and also the Courts Act, when they ruled that
the appeal was not properly before them.&nbsp;
In the view of the Applicant, the application before the Court was not
the substantive appeal and the grounds thereof but rather the justification or
otherwise of the stay orders of the single Justice.&nbsp; He therefore submits that the decision of the
3 Panel was void and a nullity for excess and lack of jurisdiction.<o:p></o:p>Furthermore, the interpretation
of Section 21 of the Legal Profession Act, 1960 (Act 32) by the Respondents’ Coun</main>